The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-04-19

moat keenly touches our hearts, Ia the risk
OF losing tho love Of the children Of tho
church, aud OF pushing them into an atti.
tude OF resistance against their mother.
The world presents no more beautiful
spectacle than that Of their hlial devoted.
ness and obedience; but 1t Is well TO rec.
ognizs that, In our age and In onr country,
obedience cannot BIO blind. We should
greatly deceive ourselves II We expected
It. Our Catholic workingmen sincerely
believe that they arb only seeking Justice,
md seeking 1t by legitimate means. A con-
domination would be considered both false
and uniuat. and therefore not binding.
We might preach 10 them submission, aud
confidence In the Church's judgment; but
these good ,lispostiona could hardly 70 10
far. They love tho Church, and they wleh
10 save thor eouls; but thoy muBt also
earn their living, and labor 10 now 90 or.
ganized that, without belonging to the
organization, 1t 10 almost impossible to earn
onG'a living. 100
Behold then the consequences to be
feared. Thousands Of the Uhurch'a moot
devoted children, whose affection Is her
greateat comfort, and whose free offerings
are her chief support, would consider
Themselves ropulsed by their Mother and
would live without practising their relig.
ion. Catholics who have hitherto Summed
the secret societies would DO sorcly tempt
cd TO Join their ranks. The lfoty See,
which has constantly received from the
Catholics OF America proofs Of almost M.
parallcled devotednees, would be consid-
cred not az a palernal authority, but as .
harsh and unjust power. Surely these
are consequences which wisdom and .pru.
dence council US to avoid.
| HOW DANGER WOULD RESULT.
7. But besides the dangers that
would result from such u con.
defamation, and the imprActicability OF
putting it into effect, 1t Is also very impor.
tant that We should carefully consider
another reason against condemnation,
arising from tho upstab BILE and transient
character OF the organization in question.
1t is frequently remarked by the press
aud by attentive observers that this spec.
ial form OF association has in 1t so little
Ipermanence, that, in its present shape, it
ls not likely to Inst many years. Whence
il follows that 1t is not necessary, oven If
it were Just and prudent, to level the
solemn condemnation OF the church
against 80 evanescent an object. Tho
social agitation itself will, indeed, last aa
long as there ere social evils to be rem
edied; but the forms Of organization
meant for the attainment OF this end are
naturally provisional and short lived.
They are also very numerous for l havo
already remarked that the knights Of
Labor are only one among many labor or
foundations. 10 STRIKE then at one OF
these forms, would be to commence war
without system and without end; it
would be to exhaust tho forces OF the
church in chaainga crowd Of changing
and uncertain spectres. Tho Amer.
lean people beholds with perfect com.
posure and confidence tho progress Of our
, social contest, and has not the loaat fear OF
not being able to protect i!aelf against any
exceEaes or dansera that may occasionally
arise. Hence, 10 speak with tho most
profound respect, but also with the frank.
ueas which duty requires OF INC, it seems
to me that prudence suggests, and that
even the dignity OF the chutch demands,
that We should not offer to America an &c.
clesiaetical protection for which ehe does
not ask, and Of which she believe that she
has no need,